Long known for helping North Carolinians find health coverage, Navigators expand expertise to include food assistance, utility assistance and more.
Raleigh, N.C. – The NC Navigator Consortium has launched Benefits Navigation, a new service that expands its trusted health insurance enrollment assistance to include help applying for food assistance, utility bill assistance and other public benefits. North Carolinians can continue receiving free help enrolling in HealthCare.gov and NC Medicaid while also accessing additional support through one appointment. More information can be found online at ncnavigator.org/benefits-navigation.
Since 2014, the NC Navigator Consortium’s Health Insurance Navigators have specialized in helping individuals apply for health coverage, but in the process, they frequently identified other benefits the applicant needed. Navigators would then refer consumers to the NC Navigator Consortium’s partner organizations for benefits enrollment assistance.
While consumers appreciated the referrals, many never completed the process of enrolling in additional benefits for which they qualified. Those gaps inspired the Consortium to expand the Navigator program into Benefits Navigation.
“Whether folks are reaching out to a Navigator for the first or fifth time, they can still expect the same friendly, knowledgeable guide they have come to trust,” said Hollis Smith, deputy director of the NC Navigator Consortium. “The only change is that now we can do more to help our clients access food stamps, help with utility bills and other public benefits they may qualify for.”
Navigators provide clear, unbiased information for free to N.C. residents who experience unpredictable incomes, find themselves in challenging circumstances or live in rural or underserved communities. Now, they offer consumers a “one-stop shop” to:
- Health coverage through HealthCare.gov or NC Medicaid
- Food assistance through SNAP (Food and Nutrition Services) and WIC
- Energy bill assistance through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) and the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP)
Those needing help can call the statewide NC Navigator number 1-855-733-3711 or schedule online at ncnavigator.org. Navigators will make an appointment to help consumers understand their eligibility and options for accessing public benefits.
About the NC Navigator Consortium
In 2014, the NC Navigator Consortium was founded as a statewide network of federally qualified Health Insurance Navigators. Today, Navigators give peace of mind to North Carolina consumers seeking free, unbiased help accessing health coverage, food assistance and help with utility bills. The NC Navigator Consortium is led by Legal Aid of North Carolina and composed of health care, social service and legal aid organizations that collectively help North Carolinians understand and access public benefits. Learn more about the NC Navigator Consortium, and follow on Facebook, X and Instagram.
About Legal Aid of North Carolina
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. Learn more at legalaidnc.org. Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.